Shock absorber



N. S. FOCHT SHOCK ABSORBER Filed March 27, 1943 Aug. `7, 1945.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lm/M/:

Aug. 7, 1945; N. s. FocHT 2,381,532

SHOCK ABSORBER Filed March 27, 1943 3 Sheets-.Sheet 2 Aug. 7, 1945. N. s.rFocHk-r 2,381,532

SHOCK ABSORBER A Filed March 27, 1945 s sheets-sheet s Patented Aug. 7, 1945 I,

vUNITED s'rArEs PATENT OFFICE SHOCK ABSORBER Nevin S. Foclit, Syracuse, N. Y.

Application March 27, 1943, Serial No. 480,819

Claims. (Cl. 267-64) This invention relates to shock absorbers, particularly for use on aircraft, although capable of other uses, and has for one of its special and more important objects to provide a simple, practical shock absorber which when unloaded, .is operable eiectively and efiiciently to cushion severe shocks imposed thereon, such, for example; as the shocks resulting from impact of an aircraft with the ground during landing of the aircraft, and which, when loaded, as for example when the weight of an aircraft is imposed thereon, is 'operable equally eiectively and eiliciently to absorb other severe shocks imposed thereon such, for example, as the shocks resulting from the aircraft encountering elevations and depressions in a eld over which it may be .taxiing during either landing or take-oil' thereof.

Another special and important object of the invention is to provide a shock absorber which not only is operable effectively and eiiiciently to cushion or absorb impact shocks imposed thereon, but which also is operable eiectively and eiliciently to control the recoil which results from imposition of impact shocks thereon.

Anotherspecial and important object of the invention is .to provide a shock absorber which. while highly eiiicient vin absorbing all impact shocks imposed thereon, and in controlling resulting recoil, affords a soft, flexible taxiing-condition for an airplane on which it is used.

With the foregoing and various other objects in view, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of .the invention is better understood,r the same consists in a shock absorber embodying the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a, shock absorber constructed in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention and employed asa strut of a strut-type airplane landing gear.

Figure 2 is a central, longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through the shock absorber shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is anv enlarged sectionalv view of the means .shown in Fig. 2 for effecting adjustment of the metering pinof the shock absorber.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Figure is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating another alternative embodiment of the invention; and

Figures 6 and 7 are detail sectional views illustrating other alternative embodiments of the invention.

Referring tothe drawings in detail, rst with particular reference to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, it will be observed that .the present shock absorber is of .the cylinder and piston type and comprises, primarily, a cylinder, designated as I0, and a hollow piston slidable therein and designated as Ii. It will further be observed Ithat according to the particular example of theinvention illustrated in said figures, the shock absorber is disposed vertically and serves as a strut between the fuselage I2 of an aircraft and a'landing wheel I3 thereof, the cylinder I0 being disposed uppermost and being closed at its upper end by a head I4 through the instrumentality of which it is .connected to the fuselage I2, and .the piston I I being disposed lowermost and being closed at its lower end by a head I5 by which is carried the landing wheel I3.

At or near its upper or inner end the hollow piston I I is closed by a; head I6, while within said piston, between the heads I5 and I6 thereof, is slidably mounted a floating piston I1.

The space within the cylinder I0, between the head I4 thereof and the piston head I6, constitutes a liquid chamber, designated as A. On the other hand, the space-withinthe piston Il, between the headsv I5 and I6 thereof, constitutes a combined liquid-receiving and compressed-aircontaining chamber which is divided by the floating piston I1' into a liquid-receiving chamber A' and a compressed-air-containing chamber B.

The chambers A, A' are filled with liquid and the air in the chamber B is under a suitable pressure above atmospheric pressure even when the cylinder I0 and the piston II are fully distended relative to each other.

.Carried by .the piston head I6 is a valve casing I8 which, in the specific example of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, is disposed vertically and extends upwardlyy from said piston head I6 into the liquid chamber A. In this valve casing I8 are openings I9 which afford constant communication between the interior of said casing and fthe liquid chamber A. Also in said casing I8 is an oriilce '20 which affords communication between the interior of said casing and the liquid chamberA' under the control of a metering pin 2 I.

.rae metering un 2| extends downwardly through the orin'ce 2l from-a disk 22 by which it is carriedyandin accordance with theinvention salddlkll isttedinthavalvecasing Il for vertical sliding movement whereby said metering pinv is 4mounted for vertical movement rela- .tive to the orince and is guided in such movement. In the disk 22 are openings` which provide communication through said disk between the casing spaces above `and below said disk.

Between the dal: z: and the 'top wsu of the valve casing il is an expansion coil spring`24 which tends constantly to. urge said disk andl the metering pin 2| to their lowermost positions as determined by engagement of said disk I.with an upwardly facing shoulder 2l adjacent to the bottom of said casing It. q

Can'led by thetop wallof the casingll and depending therefrom into said casing ism` cylinder26, while carried by the disk 22 and project- -ing upwardly therefrom into and .neatly ntting the cylinder 26 is a plunger 21.

At'its upper end' the cylinder v2B is in communication with the atmosphere as, forexample, through a tube 20'which extends from the assnssafj snoek ,absorber a ruuycutena'ed ann-themes.-

`sure of air in said chamber 'B andof the liquid 'in thechamber A( are at a minimum.

Therefore when the absorber ilfully dis- "tendedandthepressureottheairinthechamair inthe chamber B-is increased. For each in-n crement "of inward movement ot the cylinder and piston relative to each other there will,.of course,

bea certaindenniteincreaseinthepressureoi the air in the chamber'B-and of the liquid in the chamber -A' and in this connection the strength upper end of said cylinder downwardly through e the piston head It and the .floating Piston |1 to an atmospherically opening .duct 29 inV the piston head I5.

Liquid in the upper part of the casing il al-` ways is under the same pressure as prevails in the liquid chamber A and acts `downwardly upon the entire portion of thedisk 22 which is disposed outwardly of the plunger 21. Likewise. liquid in the lower part of the casing Il, outwardly of an'upward prolongation of the orice 20,'a1ways is under the same pressure -as prevails in the liquid chamber A and acts upwardlyy upon that portion of the disk 22 which is disposed outwardly of an upward prolongation .of

the orifice 20. The oriiiice 20 and the plunger 21 .have equal cross sectional areas. Therefore, .as

long as the orifice 20 is not choked .with liquid, equal top and bottom areas of 4the disk 22 are subjected to the same pressure as prevails in thechamber A Aand this pressure has no effect to movethe unit comprising the disk 22, the metering pin 2| and the plunger 21 either upwardly or downwardly. On the contrary, said. unit is urged downwardly only by the spring 24 and by atmospherlc pressure upon the top oi the plunger 21, and is urged upwardly only by the pressure of the liquid in the chamber A acting against the lower end of the metering pin 2| and against the under face of the disk 22 Ywithin limits defined by an upward prolongation of the orifice 2l..

Since the bottom of the chamber A'Vis comprised by the iloating piston |1 resting DOD the body of compressed air in the chamber B, the pressure of the liquid in said chamber A always is the same as the pressure of the air in said chamber B. Y

When the shock' absorber is fully distended the pressure of the air in the chamber B is. oiV

course, at a minimum and of any desired value ydepending upon the service the shock absorber is designed to perform.

The spring 24 is. of a strength such that its pressure exerted downwardly upon the disk 22, combined with the atmospheric pressure exerted downwardly'upon the top of the plunger 2 1, is appropriately greater than -the pressure exerted upwardly upon said'disk and the metering p in 2| by the liquid in the chamber A' when the of the spring 24 is such that its pressure, combined with the atmospheric pressure tending to f urge the metering pin 2| downwardly, is overcome by vthe pressure ofthe liquid in the chamber A tending to urge said metering pin upwardly asthe pressure of the liquid in said chamber A' rises. Accordingly, as the shock absorber is subjected to load, the metering pin 2| rises and assumes a, certain deiinite position for each different stroke ,position of the shock absorber and for the corresponding pressure of the air in the chamber'- B'and of -the liquid in the chamber A.

The upper-portion 'of' the metering pin 2| is of -such diiferent diameters at different points along its length that for each diiferent position thereof as determined by the corresponding stroke position of the shock absorber and the corresponding pressure oi' the liquid in the chamber A' it aifords' an effective area of the orice 2n such as is calculated to permit just the right amount of liquid to flow from the chamber A into the chamber A' to properly check inward movement of the cylinder IU and the piston relative to each other consistent with the load imposed upon the shock absorber and the energy to be dissipated. y

Assuming that the shock absorber is used upon an airplane and that the airplane is making a normal landing, it is apparent that as the weight d .the airplane progressively isimposed upon the shock absorbenthe cylinder I0 and the piston will be moved inwardly relative t to each other and will be checked in their inward movement by 'metered flow of liquid from the chamber A into the chamber A until the entire weight of the airplane is imposed uponthe shock absorber and the 'pressure oi' the air in the chamberBy has risen-to balance the weight of the airplane. Thefcylinder ||I and the piston then will have a certain deiinlte position relative to each other and the metering pin 2| likewise will have a certain definite position relative to the oriilce 2l as determined bythe position of said cylinder and piston relative to each other and the corresponding pressure oithe liquid in the chamber A. In said position of the metering pin the portion vthereof which is in-the plane of the oriilce 20 is of a relatively small cross sectional area, as indicated at 30', to permit free flow of liquid through saidorii'lce during taxiing of the airplane. Thus, during vtaxiing of the airplane,

elevation or depression inthe surface over which l 'it is travelling, the pressure of the liquid'in the chambers A and A' will not be materially changed, the position of the metering pin 2| will vation in the surface over which it is travelling,-

an increased load will 'be imposed upon the shock absorber with consequent inwardimovement of the cylinder I and the piston relative to each other and increase in the pressure of the liquid in the chamlber A'. The metering pin 2| thereupon will rise with consequent constriction of the effective area of the oriilce 20 proportionately to the severity of the shock and the' amount of increase in pressure of the liquid and inward movement of the cylinder I0 and the piston H relative to each other will be smoothly checked.

If, on the other hand, the wheel I3 should encounter a depression in the surface over which it is travelling, the load on the shock absorber l will decrease with consequent outward movement of the cylinder and the piston relative to each other, decrease in the pressure of the liquid in the chamber A and return iiow of liquid from the chamber A into the chamber A until a condition of equilibrium again is established.

Return iiow vof liquid from the chamber A through the orice 28 into the chamber A is under thel control of the lower end portion of the metering pin 2| in cooperation with an oriiice 3| in a disk-type check valve 32. This check valve 32 cooperates with a seat 33 whichsurrounds the metering pin 2| below the orifice 20 and closes upwardly and opens downwardly .relative to said seat, being constantly urged upwardly toward its normally closed position against said seat by suitable yieldable means 34. Accordingly, said valve is free-to open downwardly to permit free by-pass of liquid from the chamber A into the chamber A' so that such {by-pass of the liquidL is solely under the control of the upper portion of the metering pin 2| in cooperation with the orifice V2li. On the other hand, since s-aid valve closes immediately the pressure in the chamber A' 'becomes predominant, it is manifest that return ow of liquid from the chamber A' into the chamber A is under the control of the lower end portion of the metering pin 2| in cooperation with the orifice 3| in said valve.

Moreover, 'it' is pointed out in this connection thai-l the metering pin 2| maintains its control of the effective areas ofthe orices 20 and 3| throughout the full range of stroke movements of the shock absorber so that the latter is equally emcient in all stroke positions thereof to smoothly check or absorto the energy of impact and recoil loads to which it may be'subjected within, of course, its capacity to resist such loads.

In the case of a crash landing of the aircraft, the pressure generated in the chamber A may become so high as to result in choking of the orifice 20 by the liquid. In that event, the pressure of the liquid in the chamber A' would not immediately rise sufllciently to raise the metering pin the required'amount to eiect the required increase in the eiective area of the orice 20 to relieve the pressure in the chamber A within the brief period of time required to prevent the shock absorber from acting 'in the nature of a solid strut.

However, if the orice 2|! should become choked with liquid, the plunger 21 obviously will be subjected to the same high pressure of the liquid as prevails inthe chamb'er A, with the result that said plunger will instantaneously be raised until there is fbrofught into the plane of the orifice 2@ a portion of the metering pin of the required small diameter to aord the necessary increase in the ei'ective area of said orifice to permit the required amount of liquid to flow therethrough from the chamber A into the chamber A' to relieve rthe excessively high pressure in the chamber A. Any danger of the shock absorber acting as a solid strut thereby is avoided and as soon as the excessively high pressure of the liquid in the chamber A has been relieved the metering pin assumes a position as determined by the stroke position of the shock absorber and the corresponding normal pressure of the liquid in the chamber A' properly to regudate flow of the liquid between the chambers A and A.

summarizing, the present shock absorber is designed to absorb, uniformly throughout its stroke As in the case of the upper end portion of the metering pin 2| which cooperates with the oriilce 20, the lower end portion of said metering pin which cooperates with 'the orifice 3| is of different cross sectional areas at different poin along its lengthv to afford an effective cross sectional area of the oriiice 3| such as is calculated to permit just the right amount of lay-pass of liquid from the chamber A' into the chamber A to properly check outward movements of the cylinder ||l and the piston relative to each other consistent with the recoil energy of the shock absorber to be dissipated. Thus, outwardv movements of the cylinder lll and the piston relative to each other during recoil actions of the shock absorber are smoothly checked in the same manner as inward movements thereof are smoothly checked during imposition of impact loads upon the shock absorber.

and. at every point in its stroke consistent with the dynamic energy to be dissipated, normal impact'loads imposed thereon; to correspondingly absorb recoil forces imposed thereon; to provide a soft, flexible taxiing condition for an airplane upon which it may be used, and to avoid any hydrostatic locks such as might cause it to act in the nature of a solid strut.

Referring now to the alternative embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7 of the drawings, wherein the same reference characters as are employed in Figs. l to 3 are used to designate corresponding parts, and with particular reference rst to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4, it will be observed that the cylinder l is disposed uppermost and that the piston il is disposed lowermost as in the Figs. 1 to 3 embodiment of the invention; that in the cylinder ID is a xed bulkhead 35 which divides the same into a lower, liquid-filled chamber A and an upper chamber B which contains compressed air; and that a metering pin valve I8, which may be presumed to be a duplicate of the metering pin valve illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, is associated with the bulkhead 35 in the same manner as the metering pin valve of the Figs. 1 to 3 embodiment of the invention is associated with the piston head i6. Accordingly, as the cylinder i0 and the piston move inwardly relative to each other under impact loads imposed upon the shock absorber, liquid will flow from the chamber Afthrough the valve IB into the chamber B and the pressure of the air in the chamber B thereby .will be increased with the result that the metering pin of said valve II will be positioned to regulate the flow of the liquid at a rate consistent with the dynamic energy to be absorbed. In other respects, too, the valve I8 will function in the same manner as the valve shown in Figs. 1 to 3. Accordingly, the shock absorber of Fig. 4 obviously will function in the same general manner as the shock absorber of Figs. 1 to 3.

Referring particularly `to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. of the drawings, it will be observed that the shock absorber is, in all essential respects, a duplicate of the shock absorber illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and is employed as a part of an airplane landing gear of the lever suspension type, being interposed between an arm 38 fixed to and depending from the fuselage I2 of the airplane and the lower, wheel-carrying end of a second arm 31 which is pivoted at its upper end to the lower end of the arm 36 as indicated at 88.

As distinguished from the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the shock absorber of the Fig.`5 embodiment of the invention is characterized by having the metering pin valve I8 thereof disposed horizontally instead of vertically to permit a longer stroke of the shockv absorber, in consideration of the limitation to its over-al1 length, than would be possible if said valve were disposed vertically. Because of the valve I8 being disposed horizontally, a hood 39 is employed to isolate the metering pin of said valve from the liquid chamber A and an opening 40 is provided in the head I6 of the piston II so that said metering pin is subjected to the pressure of the liquid in the chamber A. In other respects the Fig. 5 embodiment of the invention is the same constructionally as the Figs. 1 to 3 embodiment of the invention and its mode of operation is identical with the Figs. l to 3 embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 illustrates a construction which is the Asame as the Fig. 5 construction, except that the valve I8 is disposed within the chamber A' and a jacket 4I is employed to isolate the openings I9 of the valve casing from said chamber A', an opening 42 in the piston head I8 providingcommunication between the chamber A and said jacket 4|. Thus, the mode of operation of the Fig. 6 embodiment of the invention is identical with the mode of operation of the other embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the cylinder I0 is disposed lowermost, the piston II is disposed uppermost and the valve I8 is mounted upon the piston head I6 at the upper side thereof. According to this embodiment of the invention the cylinder I0 below the piston head I6 constitutes the liquid chamber A of the shock absorber and the piston space above said piston I6 constitutes the air chamber B of the shock absorber. A jacket 43 isolates the openings I9 in the valve casing from the air chamber B and an opening 44 in the head I6 provides communication between said jacket and the liquid chamber A. Thus, the mode of operation of this form of the invention also is identical with the mode of operation of the other forms of the invention.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily lapparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor deing liquid and air pressures as long as said oritails of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shock absorber comprising a pair of members movable relative to each other by imposition upon the shock absorber of a force to be resisted, said shock absorber including a liquid containing chamber, a combined liquid-receiving and compressed-air-containing chamber and a wall between said chambers having an orifice for outlet of liquid from said liquid-containing chamber to said combined chamber, said members being effective when moved relative to each other by imposition upon the shock absorber of a force to be resisted to subject the liquid in said liquidcontaining chamber to pressure and to force it therefrom through said orifice into said combined chamber thereby to compress the air in the latter, a metering pin of different cross sectional areas at different points along its length disposed in said oriilce for longitudinal movement with respect thereto to vary the effective area thereof, yieldable means tending constantly to move said metering pin outwardly relative to said liquidcontaining chamber, a cylinder containing air at substantially atmospheric pressure, said metering pin being exposed to the pressure of the liquid and the air in said combined chamber and including a plunger xed with respect thereto and disposed in said cylinder whereby it is movable inwardly relative to said liquid-containing chamber by the pressure of th'e liquid and the compressed air in said combined chamber, thus to assume positions affording diierent predetermined eiective orifice areas for different relative positions of said members and the correspondflee does not become choked with liquid and 40 quickly to assume a position affording a large effective orifice area for relief of the liquid pressure in .the event of a sudden increase of the liquid pressure so great as to cause choking of said oriilce.

2. A shock absorber as set forth in claim 1 including a check valve which does not interfere with flow of liquid from the liquid-containing chamber through the orifice but which obstructs return flow of the liquid through said orifice, the metering pin having a portion cooperating with said check valve to regulate return flow of the liquid through said orifice to said liquid-containing chamber during recoil action of the shock absorber.

3. A shock absorber as set forth in claim 1 in which the cylinder and th'e plunger and the orice are of equal cross sectional areas and the metering pin is of lesser cross sectional area.

, 4. A shock absorber comprising a cylinder and a hollow piston slidable therein, said cylinder and piston being closed at their outer ends and said piston including a head closing its inner end, the cylinder space between said piston head and the outer end of said cylinder constituting a, liquidcontaining chamber, a floating piston in said hollow piston, the space between said floating piston and the outer end of said hollow piston constituting a compressed-air-containing chamber, the

space between said iioating piston and the head of said hollow piston constituting a chamber rto receive liquid forced from said liquid-containing chamber, a valve carried by said piston head and having an orifice for flow of liquid between said liquid-containing chamber and said liquid receiving chamber, a metering pin of different cross sectional areas at diierent points along its length disposed in said orifice for longitudinal movement with respect thereto to vary the effective area thereof, yieldable means tending constantly to move said meteringr pin toward saidrliquid-receivingchamber, means exposing the end of said metering pin nearer said liquid-containing chamber to atmospheric pressure, said metering pin being exposed intermediate its ends to the pressure of 'the liquid in said liquid-containing chamber and at its other end to the pressure of the liquid in said liquid-receiving chamber whereby it is movable in the opposite direction by the pressure of the liquid in said liquid-containing chamber and the pressure of the air in said compressed-air-containing chamber acting through the floating piston and the liquid in said liquidreceiving chamber, thus to assume positions affording different predetermined effective areas of said orifice for different stroke positions of said cylinder and said hollow piston and the corresponding liquid and air pressures as long as said orifice does not become chocked with liquid and quickly to assume a position affording a large effective orifice area for relief ow of liquid from said liquid-containing ch'amber to said liquidreceiving chamber in the event of a sudden increase in the pressure of the liquid in said liquidcontaining chamber so great as to cause choking of said orifice.

5. A shock absorber comprising a cylinder and a piston slidable therein, said cylinder being closed at its outer end and having therein a bulkhead, the space between said piston and said bulkhead constituting a liquid-containing chamtaining ch'amber, a valve carried by said bulkhead and having an orifice for flow of liquid between said chambers, a metering pin of different cross sectional areas at different points along its length disposed in said orifice for longitudinal movement with respect thereto to vary the eiective area thereof, yieldable means tending constantly to urge said metering pin toward said combined chamber, means exposing the end of said metering pin nearer said liquid-containing chamber to atmospheric pressure, said metering pin being exposed intermediate its ends to the pressure of the liquid in said liquid-containing chamber and at its other end to the pressure in said combined chamber whereby it is movable inl th'e opposite direction by the pressure of the liquid in said liquid containing chamber and the pressure of the air in said combined chamber, thus to assume dierent positions affording different predetermined eifective areas of said orificefor different stroke positions of said cylinder and piston and the corresponding liquid and air pressures as long as said orifice does not become checked with liquid and quickly to assume a position affording a large effective orifice area for relief flow of liquid from said liquid-containing chamber to said combined chamber in the event of a sudden increase in fthe pressure-of the liquid in said liquid-containing chamber so great as to cause choking of said orifice.

NEVIN S. FOCHI'. 

